The Health Department salutes their Environmental Health Division and its Food Sanitation program. The Environmental Health Division protects the public health through control of environmental health factors.
Registered sanitarians assure proper compliance with county ordinances and state regulations which protect the public health.
During the early 20th century, contaminated food, milk, and water caused many foodborne infections, including typhoid fever, tuberculosis, botulism, and scarlet fever. In 1906, Upton Sinclair described in his novel, "The Jungle" the unwholesome working environment in the Chicago meat-packing industry and the unsanitary conditions under which food was produced.
Public awareness dramatically increased and led to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act. Once the sources and characteristics of foodborne diseases were identified, they could be controlled by hand washing, sanitation, refrigeration, and pasteurization.
The Health Department notes,"Though great strides have been made in the food safety over the last hundred years, the fact is we still can be at risk from foodborne illness outbreaks even today. For example, the recent outbreak of salmonella from contaminated peanut butter products which has sickened nearly 700 people and killed nine. Though these type of outbreaks get a lot of media attention, the fact is that of the estimated 76 million cases of foodborne disease that occur each year, only a small fraction are due to widespread outbreaks. Poor food handling practices are responsible for the majority of cases. The good news is that common errors like cross-contamination and insufficient heat and refrigeration can be remedied easily with consistent habits."
The Health Department Food Sanitation program conducts food inspections for all food services establishments within Henry and Stark Counties. Last year Health Department Sanitarians conducted 565 food and recheck inspections. In addition, Environmental Health staff conduct follow up investigations on any food service complaints they receive.
Other food sanitation program services include consultation and review plans of new construction or major remodeling of restaurants, taverns and food stores; and holding Food Service Managers Certification courses.
For more information on the Health Departments' Food Sanitation Program call (309) 852-0197 or 792-4011 (Henry) or 852-3115 (Stark)
